Tongkat Ali: Natural Testosterone Booster or Just Supplement Hype?

Every few years, another supplement comes along promising to naturally boost testosterone, build muscle, improve recovery, and turn you into an absolute animal in the gym.

Tongkat Ali is one of those supplements.

Andrew Huberman and Dr. Kyle Gillett have discussed its potential hormone benefits, and it's become increasingly popular in testosterone-boosting formulas.

But does increasing testosterone on a blood test actually translate into more plates on the bar?

I dug into the research, and here's what I found.

What is Tongkat Ali?

Tongkat Ali, also called Eurycoma longifolia, is a plant native to Southeast Asia. Its roots have traditionally been used for energy, libido, and male reproductive health.

It contains compounds called quassinoids, including eurycomanone, which researchers believe may influence testosterone-related pathways.

The theory is that Tongkat Ali may support the body's natural testosterone production.

Sounds great. But what happens when researchers actually test it?

Does it really boost testosterone?

Here's where the research gets interesting.

A 2022 systematic review found that Tongkat Ali supplementation may increase total testosterone, particularly in men who already have low levels.

A randomized trial enrolled 105 men aged 50–70 with low testosterone and assigned them to 100 mg, 200 mg, or placebo. In the 200 mg group, average total testosterone rose from approximately 200 to 225 ng/dL over 12 weeks.

That's a measurable improvement, but not exactly turning someone into a walking testosterone factory.

And here's the important part:

Increasing total testosterone doesn't automatically mean increasing free testosterone, building more muscle, or getting stronger.

The same study didn't show significant improvements in free testosterone or SHBG compared with placebo.

Research involving healthy, exercise-trained adults has been less convincing.

Will it build muscle or make you stronger?

This is what I care about as a strength athlete.

A few studies have examined Tongkat Ali during resistance training and recovery. Unfortunately, the results aren't nearly as impressive as the marketing.

A 2024 study involving 33 exercise-trained men and women taking 400 mg daily for four weeks found no significant between-group improvements in:

• Lean mass (a body-composition estimate)
• Body fat
• Handgrip strength
• Salivary free testosterone
• Mood and sleep measures

Another study involving rugby players found no meaningful improvement in power, soreness, or muscle-damage markers.

The handgrip result is not a direct test of squat or deadlift strength. The rugby study addresses recovery more directly.

My translation: Just because you can raise a hormone number doesn't mean you're adding 50 pounds to your squat.

Right now, there's no convincing evidence that Tongkat Ali consistently builds more muscle or increases strength in healthy lifters.

What about libido, stress, and recovery?

This is where Tongkat Ali may have more potential.

Some smaller human studies have reported improvements in sexual-health symptoms, stress, mood, and certain hormone measurements.

One study involving 63 moderately stressed adults reported lower cortisol and improved mood measures after four weeks.

That's interesting, but it doesn't mean Tongkat Ali is a proven recovery supplement.

Stress reduction and improved well-being are different from demonstrating faster muscle repair or better training adaptations.

Athlete action plan: dose, timing & what to know

If you're looking into Tongkat Ali, here's what the human research actually tells us.

• Form: Look for Eurycoma longifolia root extract with clearly identified ingredients and independent quality testing.
• Dose: Human studies have commonly investigated 100–400 mg daily, with some using 600 mg. These are studied doses, not established safe or optimal recommendations.
• Timing: Studies generally use daily supplementation. There's no proven benefit to taking it immediately before training.
• Duration: Many short trials lasted approximately 2–12 weeks. That does not establish long-term safety.
• Cycling: There's no reliable evidence establishing an optimal cycling schedule.
• Hormone testing: If you suspect low testosterone, get properly evaluated rather than guessing and throwing another supplement at the problem.

Also, remember that a 200 mg extract from one manufacturer might be completely different from another. Higher extract ratios and bigger doses don't automatically mean better results.

My recommendation: Don't treat Tongkat Ali like creatine or another established foundational supplement. Its performance benefits are unproven, and its safety concerns deserve serious consideration.

What about the safety concerns?

This is the part supplement companies don't put in giant letters on the bottle.

In 2021, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reviewed a specific Tongkat Ali root extract and identified concerning findings from laboratory and animal tests suggesting possible DNA damage.

EFSA concluded that the safety of that extract had not been established.

That doesn't prove Tongkat Ali causes cancer or DNA damage in humans taking typical supplement doses. It also doesn't mean every Tongkat Ali product has the exact same risk.

But it's a legitimate concern that shouldn't be ignored.

NIH LiverTox describes rare suspected liver-injury reports, although the causal relationship is not firmly established.

Bottom line: We don't have enough long-term safety research to confidently recommend taking Tongkat Ali every day for years.

Especially when we haven't proven it's doing much for muscle growth or strength in the first place.

My take

Tongkat Ali is interesting, and I think the testosterone research deserves more attention.

For men with low baseline testosterone, there may be some benefit. But for healthy strength athletes looking to get bigger, stronger, and recover faster, the evidence just isn't there yet.

And with the unanswered safety concerns, I'm not convinced the potential reward outweighs the uncertainty.

I'd rather put my money toward quality food, adequate protein, creatine, sleep, and a well-structured training program.

If you have genuinely low testosterone, work with a qualified healthcare professional to identify the cause and discuss proven treatment options.

Remember, a higher number on a blood test doesn't automatically mean a bigger total on the platform.

Train hard. Recover harder. Let the science do the talking.

— Joel

Research & References

1. Huberman Lab — Dr. Kyle Gillett: Tools for Hormone Optimization in Males. Podcast commentary on hormones and supplementation, separate from controlled research.
2. Leisegang et al. (2022) — Eurycoma longifolia and serum total testosterone in men. Systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials.
3. Chinnappan et al. (2021) — Standardised aqueous root extract and testosterone in ageing men. Randomized trial in 105 men; extract-specific findings.
4. Antonio et al. (2024) — The Effect of Tongkat Ali Supplementation on Body Composition in Exercise-Trained Males and Females. Four-week trial; body composition, handgrip and other measured outcomes.
5. Zakaria et al. (2023) — Eurycoma longifolia and eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage in rugby players. Small placebo-controlled recovery study.
6. EFSA (2021) — Safety of Eurycoma longifolia root extract as a novel food. Safety assessment of a specific standardised water extract, including genotoxicity concerns.
7. NIH LiverTox — Tongkat Ali. Review of suspected liver injury and the limits of causal evidence.
8. Talbott et al. (2013) — Tongkat Ali, stress hormones and psychological mood state. Four-week placebo-controlled study in 63 moderately stressed adults.

This article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace individualized medical advice.